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Team OAM Now’s Rebecca Davis Takes First in Women’s Race at Hanson Hills 12k Classic

February 7th, 2015 by Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors

By Mike Davis, Team OAM Now Nordic Skier

It was a very cold morning in Grayling for the Hanson Hills 12K classic. Waxing was easy for many, as the cold temperatures left no lack of kick. I didn’t want to lose any glide, so I chose to double pole this race on my skate skis. Team OAM Now performed well, with all the men finishing in the top ten and Rebecca Davis winning the women’s race.

The Hanson Hills 12k Classic Race is an interval start race with each racer starting in 15 second intervals. They put everyone into order by age group, then the order they signed up. The interval start makes it difficult to pace because you have no idea where you stand during the race. My strategy for races like this is to go as hard as I can for as long as I can. Regardless of our differing strategies for this race, it seems like Team OAM Now was doing something right with another impressive showing.

Rebecca Davis must have had a good strategy, as she was able to win the women’s race by 56 seconds. Dan Yankus had a very strong race by finishing in third with a time of 44:10. Alex Vanias came in fourth just 31 seconds behind Dan while I finished eighth overall with a time of 47:40.

Each race is a great opportunity for different conditions and more experience which allows us to learn and develop new strategies. With each race, we’re hopeful that we keep growing and improving…of course, we’d also like to keep winning.

Two Podiums for Team OAM Now at the Forbush Freestyle 17K

February 6th, 2015 by Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors

By Rebecca Davis, Team OAM Now Nordic Skier

The Forbush Freestyle 17k is always one of the toughest races on my schedule. It isn’t the longest, or the biggest, but the course is incredibly technical- constant turning, and short, hard climbs. On top of that, the trail conditions usually seem to be a bit soft, which adds to the challenge. This year was no exception, and even though I have more training than I do most years, this race was still humbling for me.

The men and women started separate at this race; typically, in those situations, I take an early lead and hold on for as long as possible. This time, I decided to fall into the pack right away and take advantage of watching the better women skiers on the technical course. I realized that I can keep up fairly easily for about 4km, and then my legs started to tire from the constant climbing and turning, causing me to fall off the pack. I know where I need to focus my training for next year! After falling off of the leader, I was able to hang on to finish second place in the women’s race. It was one of my better standings for the year, but definitely not my strongest race.

Dan Yankus managed to hang on the lead pack for a 3rd place finish after realizing that his skis weren’t as fast as the first 2 finishers. Mike Davis had a tough fall on one of the hills near the end of the race putting him at the back of his pack, but still managed to finish 21st place.

Despite a tough race, and only a few team members competing, Team OAM Now certainly had a strong finish.

Introducing the Team OAM Now Elite Men’s Cycling Team for 2015

February 6th, 2015 by Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors

By Chris Gottwald, Team OAM Now Elite Men’s Cycling Team Captian

Ed Note: After a successful 2014 season, the Team OAM Now Elite Men’s Cycling Team is busy, in the off season, training for an incredible 2015! We asked Team Captain Chris Gottwald to give us an overview of the team and tell us a bit about what we can look forward to.

Returning Members
Christopher Gottwald
Daniel Yankus
Alex Vanias
Peter Ehmann
Cory Stange

New Teammates
Colin Snyder

For sure in 2014 our greatest accomplishment was winning the Michigan Point Series with a team that included three new riders (Cory Stange, Pete Ehman and Ryan Erxleben). We rode well all season as a team and that allowed us to capitalize on team work when we lacked all around fire power.

Colin Snyder, our newest addition brings some veteran experience and all around ability. He has the amazing ability to be a threat in any event (road, mountain and cyclocross) which gives us, as a team, tremendous potential. In his first year with us, Cory won the season overall with his amazing finishing speed, but admits his weakness in the past has been brute strength. Coming in to 2015, he will be coached by world class coach Mark Olson which certainly ensures even stronger all around abilities from him.

We all are on TEAM OAM Now because we want to be. As a team, we work on our individual (rider) strengths and put them together to get the best results possible when we race as a team. Even when we don’t win, we still turn our selves inside out to get the strongest rider of the day to the best finish possible.

Overall, for 2015, we will focus on winning the Michigan Point Series again, along with a greater focus on the individual races. American style road racing is criterium heavy and we will attempt to shift our focus to that style. Alex Vanias (Former Bissell Pro Rider) and Chris Gottwald (Current World Record holder) have world class aerobic capacity and plan to deliver at every opportunity. We can certainly count on Dan Yankus, Pete Ehman and Colin Snyder to turn in amazing performances as well.

We rode tremendously well together in 2014 and, with a year behind us, we have learned even more about our individual strengths and weaknesses. We will capitalize on that for sure. Individually, in 2015, Cory Stange will focus on the point series and winning as often as possible on the crit scene. Alex Vanias will focus on road and multi-sport, and Chris Gottwald will focus on a 1 hour Time Trial record late in the season.

We’ve set a few ambitious goals this season, but based on our past performance, I’m expecting us to deliver.

Introducing the 2015 Team OAM Now Women’s Cycling Team

February 3rd, 2015 by Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors

By Marie Dershem, Team OAM Women’s Cycling Team Captain

Ed Note: With amazing season highlights like JoAnn Cranson’s trip to the Senior Olympics, and her win at the West Branch Road Race, Charlotte Long’s 2nd place wins at both the Lowell 50 and Peak to Peak, Marie Dershem’s 3rd place win at the State Championship Time Trial, it was a fantastic year for Team OAM Now’s Women’s Cycling Team. We took a minute to talk to Team Captain Marie Dershem about what’s in store for 2015.

Returning Members
Marie Dershem
Laura Melendez
Charlotte Long
JoAnn Cranson

New Teammates
Jenny Steketee

Our entire team had some great accomplishments in 2014, both together and individually. Laura Melendez, who brings strength and amazing endurance to the team, competed in the National 24 Hour Bike race. In addition, she placed 1st in CAT 3 Tour De Mont Pleasant Crit. JoAnn Cranson can time trial with the best of them. Working with her teammate, Marie Dershem, she pulled away from the peloton and time-trialed her way to a victory at West Branch Road Race (CAT 3), where Marie placed 2nd. Some highlights for Charlotte Long include exhibiting her trail and road skills by placing 2nd in both the Lowell 50 and Peak to Peak mountain bike race (after upgrading to Expert). Then, she expertly took second place in the State Championship Road Race. Marie Dershem‘s time trial experience as a former triathlete came in handy when she came in 3rd place in the State Championship Time Trial (CAT 3), which was followed by a State Championship Road Race win (CAT 3). With several other podium spots among all the teammates, it was a fantastic year.

In 2015, we have a newcomer, Jenny Steketee, who brings years of competitive speed skating to the mix. Her strength and power will translate amazingly well to the bike. We look forward to all she has to offer and welcome her with excitement. This is a well-rounded team that has experience working together. Every team member trains hard individually. We can all count on one another to work hard, to work for one another, and to be committed to the team.

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Our team’s biggest strength is the diversity in talent. Both Marie and JoAnn are excellent time-trialists. Laura has the perfect mix of endurance and strength. In addition, her years of experience racing aids in putting together strategies to race well together and build on each other’s strengths. Marie and Charlotte share a love for climbing and tend to use hills as break-away opportunities. Charlotte is a proven sprinter and Marie is building toward this as well.

This coming season, we have an amazing opportunity to come together and really take control of the field in any race we enter. We have such a wide range of talent that, when we work together, we can do anything. Every team member is willing to work for each other, which makes all the difference in the world. We can easily play to each person’s talents and create a winning opportunity for everyone.

In 2015, plan to see us at Le Tour De Mont Pleasant, BTR Crit, Maple Hill Race for Wishes, Delta Subaru Gaslight Crit, as well as quite a few others. Additionally, the team is also interested in travelling to some out of state races to add variety and new challenges. It is certainly going to be an exciting year to be a woman racing with TEAM OAM Now!

Introducing the Team OAM Now Nordic Ski Team 2015

January 26th, 2015 by Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors

By Daniel Yankus, Nordic Ski Team Captain

Ed Note: As the 2015 Nordic Ski season continues, we asked Team OAM Now’s Daniel Yankus to give us an overview of the team and its goals.

This year’s Team OAM Now Nordic Ski Team is:

Returning members:
Jon Morgan

Alex Vanias

Kaitlyn Patterson
Daniel Yankus

New Teammates:

Mike Davis

Rebecca Davis

Winning the overall for both women and men in the Michigan Cup series is always our goal and, last year, Alex and Kaitlyn both delivered. As a personal goal, I accomplished a Top 100 at Birkie and that was the goal I set out for about 4 years ago. Of course we’re looking for similar results this year.

Mike and Rebbeca will certainly bring both talent and youth, however, their active lifestyle as a family is what first attracted my attention to them. We have found that our team operates better with that family spirit.

For us, there is an understanding that our results are important, but our interactions with the ski community are more important. As we look to expand the sport and create interest, each member of the team has committed to a community event this season, clinics and races alike, for both adults and/or kids.

As far as our races go, we are also looking to have great results at the North American Vasa, Noquemanon Classic Marathon, and the American Birkiebeiner. These races allow us to test ourselves against national caliber skiers.

Of course we’re looking forward to some more snow here in Michigan, but were hoping for a great 2015 season.

Three Team OAM Now Nordic Skiers finish in top 5, Overall, at Noquemanon

January 26th, 2015 by Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors

By Kaitlyn Patterson, Team OAM Now Multi-sport Athlete

The Noquemanon Ski Marathon is one of Michigan’s premier cross country ski events and has been on my athletic bucket list for years. It is a challenging, point to point, race that begins in Ishpeming and finishes at the Superior Dome in Marquette, Michigan. Although there is a net descent over the 50k race, there is some serious climbing over the first half. The Noquemanon is unique in that the 50k Classic is the featured race and draws talent from across the Midwest.

Classic races add several elements of challenge because kick waxing is so crucial. This year’s weather was on the opposite end of the spectrum from last year’s “snowmageddon,” with temperatures hovering just above freezing. Waxing for the changing weather was a source of anxiety for most skiers in the classic race as everyone tried to decide what would be the trick for optimal kick and glide.

The entire Team OAM Now Nordic team took on the challenge of the 50k Classic race beginning in the Elite wave. I have not spent much time on classic skis since high school and was less than confident about racing a marathon. Although I seriously considered changing to the freestyle race, I decided to go for the classic race to just see what might happen.

The start of any ski race is tricky to navigate with many bodies, skis, and poles in a condensed area. Thankfully, we were off smoothly, the tracks were not as icy as expected and my skis were kicking and gliding well. Less than 5k in, I saw teammate Jon Morgan off to the side holding his hamstring after a bad fall. He unfortunately had to pull out with a torn muscle. I heeded his warning and was a bit more cautious on the tricky descents.

I felt great after the first 15k, but realized that my pacing was a bit ambitious and I had fallen behind on my calorie intake. I fell off the pack I was skiing with, but was able to regroup, drink, and ski more relaxed. I skied significantly more smoothly and stronger the second half and was able to pull back several racers. By the final 10k, my upper body was toasted from the hours of double poling and I was thankful to see the Dome appear in the distance.

Overall, the race and the course lived up to expectations in both challenge and impressive scenery with the Lake Superior overlook, frozen lake crossings, and granite bluffs. The organizers do an amazing job with the logistics of putting on such a long point to point race.

I ended up finishing in 4th place overall and Rebecca Davis was just behind me in 5th. Dan Yankus had a strong race to finish 5th place in a strong field. Alex Vanias finished in 16th, and Mike Davis 33rd overall. Another great day for Team OAM! We’re hoping Jon has a speedy recovery!

Off Season Training Tips from a Pro

January 23rd, 2015 by Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors

By Raquel Tavares-Torres, Team OAM Now Professional Tri-athlete

When the temperature drops and the snowy days come, a lot of triathletes take the season off, but some, those who still have goals and races, need to train, no matter the weather conditions. The question is, how, when we live in a place that experiences all four seasons, do we train through the winter, especially when it can be cold and harsh?

Keeping in mind that we are all different, including our styles, levels, preferences, and goals, after more than a year racing as a ITU professional triathlete, I would like to share my experience training in Michigan to prepare for races in hot and humid places.

Last year (winter 2013), after more than a decade out of sports, I finished my first ITU race in the Dominican Republic, with only a couple of months of training. Due to lack of experience and preparation, as well as a few mistakes, I finished in a respectable place, but suffered from heat stroke. I completed the last 5k of the run, but I have no memory of it. The worst feeling of my life was when I woke up in the medical tent with my body out of control, dizzy, and feeling like I was dying.

Even if you don’t have a race in a hot place, you can take the advantages of the winter which is what I do now, and train in the cold conditions. The key word in the off season is adaptation.
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December Recap: Team OAM NOW in the Community

January 19th, 2015 by Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors

By Jim Allan, Team OAM Now athlete

On Saturday, December 6^th,Team OAM Now/Athletic Mentors team members participated in a great fundraiser for Habitat For Humanity by spinning at the Koetsier Greenhouse along with (70) other local athletes. Each hour of spinning was led by a spirited instructor who provided a great workout while collecting funds for a good cause.

The group representing Team OAM Now included Marie Dershem, Roxane Kippen, Larry Strayhorn, Dan Gauthier, Steve Buccella, Peter Chadwick, and Jim Allan. This is the second year we’ve participated in a fundraiser at this facility; we consider ourselves incredibly fortunate to have these opportunities, especially when we can pedal to make a difference.

Then, on Saturday, December 13^th the annual bicycle build for Elves and More West Michigan occurred with outstanding success. This organization collects donations and conducts fundraisers throughout the year in order to buy un-assembled bicycles. Volunteers then have the opportunity to assemble these bicycles for distribution in one Southwest Michigan neighborhood a year. The organization hopes the gift of a bike will lead the students to a healthier lifestyle and provide them with much needed transportation to and from school. Again, a group of Team OAM Now members had the privilege to participate this year. Team members Roxane Kippen, Bob Schultz, Greg Neagos, Steve Buccella, Dan Gauthier, Peter Chadwick, Mike Hoogerland, Jim Allan, friends of the team Alan Moore and Mari-Megan Moore helped and great assistance from Steve’s 93 year old father Paul!

After a period of on-the-job training and a few rejected bicycles, our process was refined and we worked like a well-oiled machine, like a team. There were a few un-reported cuts that shouldn’t impact any performance, and we had a good time helping.

Despite the frantic activity in a warehouse setting, this is always a fun activity. In our building frenzy, we did not capture the total number of bikes we built, but a consensus from the skilled team suggested that it was in excess of (50) bicycles. Overall, there were over 1000 bicycles built for distribution in Grand Rapids neighborhood on Saturday December 20^th!

Finally, on December 18^th, team members participated in the annual fundraiser sponsored at Striders Running Store called the Sleigh Bell Shuffle. This year, the collection of donations benefited The Kids Food Basket and Toys For Tots. Striders supplies a lot of great raffle prizes as well as cookies and cocoa for all the participants. The highlight of the evening was a run through the local neighborhood to enjoy the Christmas decorations.

Two of the things we love best are working as a team and giving back to our communities, particularly when we can do it in a way that really reflects who we are. These opportunities not only provided both, but gave us a way to celebrate the end of a great season! While we’re looking forward to getting back on the road, we’re also looking forward to volunteering together again.

Team OAM Now’s Alex Vanias Learns a Tough Waxing Lesson at Nationals

January 18th, 2015 by Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors

By Alex Vanias, Team OAM Now multi-sport athlete

The start of this ski season has been a difficult one. With nationals on January 4th in Houghton, everything looked promising when we got dumped on by snow around Thanksgiving. The snow didn’t last long, though, and we ended up in the difficult transition period for over a month where there wasn’t enough snow to ski, and the roads were too icy to roller ski. I mostly ran and rode my bike outside while doing some upper body strength workouts indoors during that period. This kept me in pretty good shape, but I didn’t have specific strength to maintain my form at high intensity on skis. Luckily, the week before nationals, the roads dried up enough to get in a couple solid roller ski workouts so I wouldn’t feel too awkward getting back on real skis when I made the trip up north.

I was only going up to nationals for the 15k freestyle race on Sunday, since I have a new job and don’t get much time off yet. Nationals actually lasts a whole week with a series of different distances in both classic and freestyle technique. I went up to Houghton with enough time to test skis and get some confidence on them before the race. The day before the race, I did a 15 mile ski of three laps on the race course. I got to try my brand new Freedom Gold ski poles for the United States Ski Pole Company and they felt amazing. Temperatures were in the mid-20’s with a firm course, so my Fischer Carbonlite H-Plus skis were absolutely flying down the hills. There was a one mile long descent with a hairpin corner at the bottom that I really wanted to practice taking at full speed. I ended up being able to by the third lap.

Race day came with a high temperature of 5 degrees and only got colder as the day went on. There was new snow, so it was going to be very abrasive on the ski bases. Unfortunately, I didn’t expect the snow to cool down as fast as it did and didn’t put the hardest wax I had on my skis. When I tested my skis, there was definitely a lot a drag as they were very squeaky on the cold snow. My skis were not the slowest on the warm-up/test course, but there were guys gliding by me without a squeak and I knew I wasn’t going to be competitive. I had no place to re-wax skis since all the wax rooms were reserved for the bigger teams that showed up. I just had to live with what I had on and try my best.

The race was individual start with skiers going off every 15 seconds. My starting position was 193 of roughly 200 starters since I had no points from other USSA races. To sum up the race, I felt great the entire way, but everybody else was out-gliding me. Other skiers could just get into an aero tuck down the hills and save energy, but I had to keep poling and skating to try and keep up as they pulled away. I would bring them back on the climbs and do it all over again down the next hill. There was 2000ft of climbing in the 15k race. That’s a lot!

I finished in 97th place. In the end I left with good experience. Ski selection and waxing is half the race. Most of the time I have really fast skis, but sometimes I get it wrong. It is time to think about marathon season now that there is a lot of snow at home!

There’s no Y in Tri: Free Clinics to Help You Meet Your 2015 Tri Goals

January 14th, 2015 by Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors

For ma triheader_2014 ny, the idea of a triathlon is intriguing, but daunting. There seems to be so much to consider and even more to learn. Stop asking why and start asking when. No one ever got to the finish line without ever lining up at the start, right?

In conjunction with the Grand Rapids Triathlon, Team OAM NOW and Athletic Mentors will present you with all the information you need to get you to the starting line of your first…or next…triathlon and see you all the way to the finish. You won’t want to miss any of these amazing (and FREE) opportunities!

TRI 101- Saturday: January 17th 9:00-10:30am (Downtown YMCA)

Great for beginners or anyone looking to do their first TRI, here is the opportunity to get the inside scoop on training, nutrition, equipment, racing tips, transitions, and rules from athletes who have been there, and back again (9-10:30am).

Swim Technique and Training: January 17th 10:30 – Noon (Downtown YMCA)

Following TRI101, athletes looking to improve their efficiency in the water can learn about swim techniques and training. It’s an amazing chance to get an inside look and idea of what you can expect as you begin to train. Get workout suggestions and watch high definition underwater video to learn the do’s and don’ts for good form.

To get more details, check out the Grand Rapids Tri site here.

To register for the clinics, click here.

February – June Clinics:

Later, on February 28, the clinic returns to offer you the opportunity to really hone in on specific skills and strategies on both the bike and run portions (February 28, 9am-11am). Then, on May 30, just two weeks from the race, you can participate in a Race Day Clinic which will answer all the questions you have about actual race day, from wave information to parking and spectator access.

Finally, one week from race day, June 7, mentors and coaches will take you on a pre-race swim and ride to get you acclimated to the course. This is the perfect opportunity for athletes new to the tri to quell any last minute nerves and take advantage of one last training session and on-course tips from the pros!

These clinics offer an amazing opportunity for the new and returning tri-athlete to learn techniques from the pros. Clinic attendees also get special deals on Athletic Mentors Custom Training Plan and 20% off the video stroke analysis!

All clinics (except pre-race swim and ride) are held at the downtown Grand Rapids YMCA and are completely free! You must register to participate.